Deem qualified to watch over the Cave for one night without a babysitter - Batman, Plasmius, and Red Arrow had all left some time ago to respond to some League duty.
Too tired (exhausted, really) the rest of the team had decided to stay behind as well, giving Superboy and Miss Martian four extra roommates than they were used to. Plus one.
Danny had been offered a place to stay in the Cave for the night for it had more than enough spare rooms. His own guestroom was furnished with only the basics, a twin bed in one corner and a desk in the other. Stretched out on the small bed, Danny was nursing a headache. This was all a bit too much for him. From what has been hastily explained to him, the team handled certain operations for the Justice League. Covert operations.
And Vlad seemed less than enthralled about the idea of him taking them up on their invitation offer. That certainly didn't mean that Danny hadn't been giving it any thought though. The prospect itself actually seemed... appealing to him.
As pathetic as it was to admit, there was no use in denying that Danny was lonely. As a teenager, as a human being, he craved social interaction and the company of others. And not just the company of authoritative adults, but of peers. Those around his own age.
Somewhere in the back of his mind he couldn't help but feel that he was sorely missing someone. Or perhaps it was two someone's. This feeling was made only more confusing since he could not place just who these missing people were. As much as he strained himself to remember something, only lavender and teal flashed briefly in his mind, but nothing else.
Getting up with a groan, Danny staggered away from the bed and into the adjoined bathroom. Leaning heavily against the counter, he drew himself up to the mirror and sized himself up.
The others, they were all in the prime of their youth and health. Strong and able-bodied. On the other hand, Danny's wiry thinness had characterized him as skinny and scrawny. There was no comparison between him and them.
Tilting his head back, the young man quickly breathed out through his nostrils in a vain attempt to clear his head.
What am I thinking? This is never going to work. I don't belong here.
Danny was startled out of his thoughts at the sound of a knock at his door. For a second he wasn't sure if he heard right and instead stood there, willing for the door to emit another noise. A few more knocks sounded, more rapidly this time.
Hastily making his way to it, Danny let his hand rest on the knob for a moment before carefully swinging it open to reveal a certain green-skinned girl.
"Oh, hi! I came to get you for dinner!" Miss Martian had announced with a kind smile.
"Dinner?" He repeated, confusion lacing his words. The alien girl seemed not to have picked up on this however.
"Mm-hmm. I hope you're hungry, 'cuz I misread the directions on the spaghetti box, so we have, like, three gallons of noodles to eat. Unless Wally gets to it first, that is."
Danny glanced off to the side, hoping to avoid her gaze. Back at the asylum the patients enjoyed their meals in their own separate quarters, and at the Watchtower there was no eating schedule. They just ate whenever they were hungry and grabbed a quick snack from the Mess Hall. Enjoying a meal with others was a relatively new concept for him and it already made him uncomfortable, with a group of strangers no less.
"I... don't think that's a great idea. Thanks anyway, though," and with that Danny attempted to shut the door only for Miss Martian to cut him off and wedge her hand between him and it.
"Wait! I know what it feels like to be an outsider. But you should give us a chance, I'm sure that the others will really warm up to you! It's just that, I've felt your emotions but that's all I've done. I've tried reading your mind, but something is blocking me and I don't think you're aware of it 'cuz I'm usually able to pick up on that and... I should have stopped talking five minutes ago, huh?" realizing that she was intimidating Danny, the talkative alien girl caught her self mid-tangent and stopped herself before she scared him away.
"You were trying to read my mind?" Danny questioned in a semi-accusing tone.
"I'm sorry! This was before, when we thought you were an intruder! I promise I won't do it again without your permission. Just - will you please come have dinner with us?" Miss Martian persisted one more time with a hopeful smile. Unable to find himself denying this girl, Danny finally nodded reluctantly.
"Sure, why not?"
"Great! Just follow me then."
The girl had tried holding up a conversation with him, but Danny quickly found out that she was more than capable of holding a conversation for two. All that was required from him was an occasional nod or something. By the time they got to the Common Room, they had somehow broached the topic of her favorite flavored Chocos.
"All right you guys, dinner time!" she announced to the others who were all sitting in front of the TV watching some program. They had all changed into their casual clothing.
"Finally! I've been waiting for, like, ever!" Wally complained, having already zipped from the couch to the table. M'gann chuckled and began telepathically setting the table down.
The table itself was set up so that there was enough room for two seats on each side, making for a total of eight. .
From across of him, Superboy and Miss Martian sat next to each other, Kid Flash and Robin took up the right side, and Artemis and Aqualad was by herself on the left. Leaving Danny by himself, which was perfectly suited for him.
"So, Danny," Wally began, mouth already filled with food, "what exactly are your powers anyway?"
"Oh. Well, it's kinda hard to explain. Something about ectoplasmic-based DNA and-"
"-Wait. So you mean like a ghost?" Wally asked dubiously. Magic might have exist, but ghosts? Those belonged only in horror stories and old Pac-Man games. Catching his skepticism, Danny clammed up and very decidedly kept quiet. Hoping to break the awkward silence that was sure to ensue, Kaldur attempted to change the subject.
"Have you given any thought about joining us then?"
Danny looked up from his meal for the first time and bit his lip. He wasn't sure if they even wanted him on their team. And even if they did, he wasn't sure if he had it in him to do what they did. He's seen the strenuous effects that it had on even the older, more experienced heroes. Who's not to say that he would just breakdown from it all or simply make a stupid mistake and get shot down.
"I... have actually. Still haven't made up my mind though," Danny explained quietly whilst glancing back down to his plate. He could feel the others watching him, trying to decipher what he actually meant by that.
To them, the boy was a bit strange to say the least. He was jumpy and nervous, and his quiet voice wavered every time he talked. So far the only time Robin has seen the boy actually relaxed was when that other man was around him, Plasmius was his name. There was still the question of whether or not Danny would be of any use to the team. Batman had personally vouched for him, and that should have been enough. But maybe it was because Batman had taken a personal interest in the boy that Robin said what he said next.
"What is he capable of, anyway? All we seen him do was turn invisible, and Megan can already do that. I mean, we don't even know anything about him," the Boy Wonder stated sourly. He knew he was being petty, but a the moment he simply couldn't bring himself to care enough.
"Robin," Aqualad warned from across of him, throwing him a glare that could have melted ice. Kaldur was not usually one to get angry, but even he had his limits. Shifting his gaze back over to Danny to see his reaction to this, the Atlantean was somewhat surprised to see him looking resolute rather than offended.
"Well we're all on the same page then, cuz I don't either," he replied through grit teeth and in a low voice faltering in and out of a whisper. With that Danny got up and walked away, each retreating footstep sounding louder than they probably actually were in Robin's ears.
"Dude...," Wally trailed off disapprovingly as soon as the footsteps were out of ear shot. Instead of sticking around to listen to the others' complaints, Robin repeated Danny's actions and stalked off himself.
"Well, that could have gone a lot better," Artemis said at last, taking another bite out of her meal.
The next morning everything had more or less went back to normal and the team fell back into their regular routine. Which started off with morning training with Black Canary.
Which meant everyone reporting to the gymnasium for sparring lessons. Danny had tagged along because he was asked to by Kaldur, but it was his understanding that he would only be there as a bystander. Not actually expecting to take part in the actual fighting, he was taken aback when the blonde woman pointed him out.
"Well, Danny. I've heard a lot of interesting things about you. Let's see how well you can hold your own against Robin," she stated, hands on her hips. From off to the side, Robin muttered something or other and entered the circle ready for battle. Danny; however, backed away.
"N-No. I don't, um- I don't think that-"
"Tch. I knew he couldn't do it," the Boy Wonder scoffed causing the Halfa to throw him a nasty glare.
"... Fine, let's get this over with."
Kaldur knew it was a bad idea to let the two boys fight, but even he was curious just how Danny will fair. Knowing that Robin wouldn't hold back made him a little nervous, but at the same time glad. If Robin wouldn't hold back, then neither would Danny.
The two boys faced each other, and still in his human form, Danny was forced to go ghost. Never having actually seen the transformation itself, the others watched with veiled curiosity as the two rings appeared and slid horizontally from his body each in the opposite direction. In Danny's place stood Phantom.
Robin wasted no time, and grabbing an exploding Birdarang he threw it directly at Danny who merely passed right through it and then sunk into the floor. With two more Birdarangs already in hand, Robin stood his ground and waited for the ghost boy to make his appearance. Which was about five feet behind him. Danny prepared a small ghost ray in his palm and with little hesitancy let it shoot forward.
It hit Robin directly in the middle of his back making him lose balance and stumble several feet forward. Danny made sure not to make the ray too powerful, it had just enough energy in it to sting a bit. Robin turned around, full of fury.
"Cheater!" Robin cried foul play, to which the ghost boy only smirked in response.
"Cheater? Fine, say what you want," he said as if losing interest in their little conversation, "But know this," Danny flew forward and seemingly disappeared inside of Robin. For a while, the Boy Wonder merely stood there motionless. Then in a split second, the stillness was broken with a smile that was not entirely his curving at his lips.
"I won." The person who looked like Robin declared in Danny's voice. As soon as those words left the younger boy's mouth, he crumpled to the ground and landed on his hands and knees. Danny reappeared moments later, in front of him and once again in his human form.
"What happened?" Robin demanded weakly, clutching at his head. He looked up in confusion only to see his teammates staring at him with a look that was mixed with awe and shock.
"Dude, you can take control of people's minds like that?" Wally exclaimed, clearly impressed. The others were as well for it was indeed a useful trick, if a bit disturbing.
"Not their minds, their bodies. It's called overshadowing someone."
"Well it's creepy, don't do that again," Robin huffed, insulted that someone had that kind of power over him. It was certainly creepy, the feeling of not being in control of your own body and being pushed aside. Of having a dead-cold presence taking that control, free to do whatever he pleased.
"Don't give me a reason to."
Black Canary, who had been watching and scrutinizing the fight from the side, had spoken up in a fairly stern manner.
"That's enough boys, sparring's over. Danny and Kaldur, I'd like to have a word with you both," she dismissed the others who left in a single-file line. The remaining two stuck behind, waiting for the heroine to begin speaking.
"All right Danny, I assume you haven't made up your mind yet about joining. Is that correct?"
He shook his head, making eye contact with neither Black Canary nor Aqualad.
"Then I have a proposition for you. Batman will be here later today with a mission. Why don't you go on this one operation and get a taste of what being on this team is all about. If you feel like joining, then great. If it's not for you, then that's fine as well. Does that work for everybody?"
"Of course," Kaldur agreed wholeheartedly. After much consideration, Danny finally shrugged a "yes".
"What do I have to lose?"
Pleasant humming could be heard in an otherwise dingy basement. After all the research, work, sweat, tears, and blood Simon had put into setting the stage, it was finally only a matter of pulling the curtains. Working at his desk with the final preparations and tying some loose ends, he looked up at the single picture tacked up to the wall.
It was of a woman and a child, presumably her daughter. The shot was taken in a park-like area as the two were standing in a neatly trimmed grassy area. Large trees in the background cast shadows over them. They were both smiling, looking at the camera with glee in their eyes.
"Soon darlings, I promise. Soon you'll be avenged."
AN: I have no idea why Robin and Danny aren't getting along. This chapter really kind of wrote itself. Anyway, please drop off a review and tell me what you think.